Electric furnace.



J. B. NAU. ELECTRIC FURNACE. APPLIoATIoN FILED 0011.31, 1910.

Patented p1-25, 1911.

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l To allwhom i 'may comer-n: it known that l, Jenn B.

NAU, a citi-y zen fof the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county-of New York and VState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Electric Furnaces, of which the fr )llowingvis a specification.

This invention relates to an electric furnace more especially designed for the purpose of carrying out in an efficient manner :my process of purifying and refining iron as vperl my application for Letters PatentSemal No. 518014 of September 16,

1909 allowed July 21, 1910 and issued February 21, 1911 under Patent No. 984590.

The nature of the present invention will be more fully understood from the followlng description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming partther'eef, in which Figure l. is a pla-n view of the furnace;

Fig. 1l. is a cross-section line ll-ll of tained by any suitable. tilting device, which Fig. l.; Figlll'. a cross section op. line Ulf-lll'. of ll.; wie l T. a cross scction online lli-EV of lui Referring to the drawings: lt Iwill be noticed that the complete apparatus constitutes an'electric tilting furnace, resting by means of strong1 circular slides 1 fastened to .the lower pant of the furnace frame 9 on two parallel lines of. rollers 2, carried in their turn by strong supports 3 only partly shown.v rilhe tilting of the furnace is obowing.to its style being immaterial for the understanding of this invention, isA not shown on the drawings.

` The furnace proper is mainly composed of two parts, of which one is a 'Crucible L1, surm'ounted by an ore shaft 5, open on top and preferably' widening below, and the other one a, forehearth' 6 separated from criicble l by means.' bf partition 7 and pro- ,vided with'an outletpouring spout or opening 15 or other suitable pouringdevice.

-0neor more openings 8 of convenient size and located in 'convenient places in the par- `tition establish communication between crucible 4 and forehearth 6 for purposes hereinafter shown. Q Crucible. 4 and fore-hearth 6.1 are inclosed' iii-walls .16 of lire-bricks, inside' the iron vcasing 9 of suitable shape. Ore

--shaft 5 :also has preferably, but not neces-l.

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' i Application lee. october B1, 3910. Serial No. 590,037.

sarily, a refractory lining inside an iron shell 10.

The electric current necessary for heating `purposes in the furnace passes through electrodes 11 and 12 and nia-y travel in any suitable direction. I have shown two sets of electrodes placed vertically, of which electrodes 11 of one set enter the Crucible through its top and electrodes 12 of the other set venter the fore-hearth through its roof. The number of electrodes thus placed in one compartment may vary from one upward, theirl location also may vary, provided that the relative location remains such that the electric current `eroine: from one set to the other traverse the two compartments l and (l and openings S in any desired direcJ tion.

Ore shaft 5 is provided furthermore with a'rliqnid pipiron inlet 13 establishing com- `inunication between the inside of ore shaft 5 and inlet spout 1l suitably placed where shown on top of compartment 4. rl`hc center line of rotation of the furnace may be placed at any suitable height, but it is VAconsidered best to place it on or near the center line 13" of spout 14. The operation in the. furnace is as follows: After having heated the empty furnace in any manner such as, for instance, by burning introduced through pouring spout 15, the products of combustion passing through openings 8 to heat up crucible 4 before their escape through ore shaft 5, re fininp, material in the shape of rich iron ore in solid pieces or in the shape of concentrate ore briquets is introduced into crucible '41 through ore shaft 5, until it fills up the Crucible and ore shaft to any desired height. The ore may be introduced after having been heated previously, or it may be heated after its introduction by means of the heat derived from the burning of the gas in fore-hearth 6 or by other means.

After the ore is introduced, the liquid iron to be partly refined is poured from the liquid iron source into spout 14. Entering the ore shaft through opening 13, it will fall on the. heated iron ore, and being divided into small streams will percolate' through the ore, gather on ,the bottornof compart ments l ande, its level will rise through the f Illa-SS of, confined ore, and while refining will liquid iron,

take. place rapidly, the slag forming on top the furnace completely and empty it without ot' the iron in compartment fl will rise to stopping the inflow of the metal tov be within easy reach of electrodes l1. The electreated, since with the exception of the rotatric current, if not yet in operation, will be tion around its center line, spout i4 remains started and goin()v in the direction'of ll-lQ in place. YThe uninterrupted continuity of for inst-ance,` will pass through slag and e process is therelr7 assured.

practically traverse the whole erucible or ire-action zone, then through holes 8, it will rise through the iron bath in the fore-hearth and finally be received by electrodes 12. Thus, the electric currentis made to heat up the slag as well as the iron in both compartments in the most efficient manner. Thecurrent, of course, may go in the other direction. In the course of the refining operation the ore immersed in the bath becoming consumed, the ore in the shaft will and new supplies will have to be added on top while the refined iron ,will flow out through spout 15. Still, owing to the great buoyancy, the ore on top of the bath, in spite of the weight of the column of ore inthe ore shaft, may not sink down into the bath as far as rapid refining will require. In that case, the furnace can be tilted, whereby the refined iron will be evacuated much faster than the raw iron can be introduced, and as soon as the furnace has been til-ted to the dotted position 17, it Will practically be empty of liquid iron. The ore contained in the shaft will descend to the bottom of the erucible and fill it. Tilting the furnace back again to its normal position, the ore shaft then can be filled up to the top if desired and the iron rising again in the crucible through the confined ore mass, will find an ample supply of it for refining purposes.

Holes or apertures S can be made large enough and located in the partition in such a manner, that when tilting the furnace to position 17, slag as well as iron will be evacuated completely through l spout l5. This is of great advantage, because it. a ttords not only easy means for cvacuating the slag, but it makes it possible to pour this slag, which is of an excellent refining nature, and take it at onceI with the liquid iron from thc purifier to the open hearth furnace to be used there .in the final refining operation. Thus the slag itself will be a valuable product, that can be used at once to the best advantage in its liquid state. i

Thus, the above-desmibcd tilting furnace realizes in a very practical manner the easy carrying out of my process of purifying and refining iron above-mentioned.

lt. is obvious that the manner of electrical heating herein described can be applied equally well to a stationary furnace having a Crucible and a forehearth separated 'from each other by a partition or otherwise, but still communicating with each other through alpertures similar to holes 8 in partition 7,

The location of the center line of rotation on or near line 13a makes it possible to tilt l l l l l l .lA

i ,Il th i observed that th v pool in the Crucible 4 relati The form of construction of both Crucible and fore-hearth and their positions relatively to each other may be more or less'varicd from those specifically illustrated in the drawings, as will be obvious to those skilled in theart, without departingfrom my invention.

Referringto the drawings, it will be e interior shape or conformation of the fore-heartli G is such that on tilting or oscillating the aparatus toward the right hand of Fig. lV the level of the bath in the fore-hearth will be caused to rise and a corresponding4 higher level consequently quickly communicated to the pool in Crucible t by reason of some of the liquid contents of the fore-hearth quickly filmvin.:y back into the Crucible 4, through the openings 8. lThis feature is of importance as it enables me, without substantial addition of molten material, to raise the level of the vely to the entire body or aggregation of rening materials, thereby correspondingly increasing pressure from below upon super-disposed portions of said aggregation and also contact of the molten iron therewith, this tending impulses to the refining materials, causing them to move to an extent relatively to each other, and thus assisting in producing new contacts between them and the molten iron and' also in preparing them to move downward more certainly to positions required 'when the apparatus tilted in the opposite direction, z'. c. toward tne left of TV, whereby the level of the liquid contents is lowered as hereinbefore described. t

lt will be noted `that the saine results will follow the tilting described in cases in which the partition 7 is removed. thereby bringing into a single eruciblestl'ie spacesI occupied by fore-hearth partition 7 and original Crucible 1i, as shown in llig. ll.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an apparatus for refining molten iron the combination of a movable hearth containing a crucible comprising a there from 'upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinto, below the top` of said shaft an inlet, and below said inlet and normally above the bottom of said Crucible an outlet, and means to together oscillate said'hearth and shaft simultaneously relatively to a common axis of rotation.

2. In an apparatus for refining molten pig iron the combination of a movable hearth containing a Crucible comprising a there from upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinte, below the top of said shaft an into impart aaai-fea of rotation, and means for generating heatA in said Crucible independently of material therein Charged. l

3. In an apparatus for ,refining molten pig iron the combination of a movable hearth containing a Crucible comprising a therefrom upwardly extending downwardly flaring ore shaftopening therelnto, below the top of said 4shaft aninlet and normally above the bottom of said Crucible an'outlet, and 4means to together oscillate said hearth and shaft simultaneously relatively to acommon axis of rotation.

4. In an apparatus for relining molten pig iron the Combination of 'a movable hearth containing a'crucible comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore shaft of less diameter than said Crucible and opening thereinto, below the top of said shaft an iulet, and below said inlet and normally above the bottom of said Crucible an outlet, and means to together oscillate saidhearth and shaft simultaneously relatively lto a Common axis of rotation. A

5. In an apparatus for refining molten pig iron the combination of a movable-hearth containing a Crucible Comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinto, means to together oscillate said heart-h and shaft simultaneously relatively to a common axis, below the top of said shaft an inlet'having its center located approximatel'yon said axis, and below said inlet and normally above the bottom of said Crucible an outlet.

6. In an apparatus for refining molten pig iron the combination of a movable hearth .containing a Crucible comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinto, adjacent said Crucible a forehearth .separated therefrom by a partition containing a passage bet-Ween said forehearth. and Crucible, below the' top of said shaft an inlet, from said fore-hearth an outlet, and means totogether oscillate said hearth andU shaft simultaneously4 relatively toa common axis of rotation.

7. In an apparatus for refining molten pig iron the Combination .of a movable hearth Containing a Crucible comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinto, adjacent said Crucible a fore-hearth.

separated therefrom by a partition Containing a passage between said fore-hearth and Crucible, below thetop of said shaft an inlet, from said fore-hearth an outlet, means to together -oscillate said hearth and shaft I' simultaneously relatively to a Common axis of rotation, and means for generating heat said Crucible4 and in said. fore-hearth. 8, In an apparatus for reiining molten pig iron the Combination of a movable hearth containing fa-Crucible Comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore shaft opening thereinto, adjacent said Crucible a forehearth separated therefrom by a partition containing a passage between said foi-ef hearth and Crucible, below the topof said shaft an inlet, from said fore-hearth an outiet, and means to together oscillate said. hearth and shaft simultaneously relatively lto a commonaxis of rotation, disposed fout! "side of said Crucible and-fore-hearth a source of electrical energy, in said Crucible an electrode, in ysaid fore-hearth another electrode, and 'Conductors connecting said electrodes with said source. i

9. In al1-apparatus for refining molten pig iron the'combination ofl a movable hearth having a container for said iron comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore-shaftopening thereinto, below the top of said shaft an inlet and below said inlet and normally above the bottom oflsaid Crucible an outlet, and means to together oscillate said hearthand shaft simultaneously relatively ,to a Common axis of rotation, the interior shape and dimensions of said Container being suchas to Cause the level of said ironto.

rise therein when oscillated in one direction and to fall when oscillated in the opposite direct-ion. i

10. In `an apparatus for refining molten pig iron the Combination of a movable hearth containing a Crucible comprising a therefrom upwardly extending ore-shaft opening thereinto, adjacent said Crucible a forehearth separated therefrom by a partition Containing a passa-ge between said foreh'earth and Crucible, below the top of said shaft an, inlet, from said fore-hearth an outlet normally above the bottom ofsaid Crucible and fore-hearth, and means to together oscillate said hearth and shaft simultaneously relatively to a common axis of'rotation, the interior shape and dimensions of said fore-hearth being such as to cause the. level of said iron to. rise in said fore-hearth and in said Crucible when oscillated in one direction and'to fall when oscilla-ted in the opposite direction.

1l. In an apparatus for relining'molten pig iron the Combination of a movable hearth having a container for usaid iron and means to oscillate said hearth, the interior shape and dimensions of said container being such as ,to Cause the level of said4r iron to rise therein when oscillated in one direction and to fall when oscillated in thel opposite direciis oscillate said hearth containing said cruciblc Signed at N ew York in the ccunty of New and, fore-hearth, the interior shape and di- York and State of New York this 28th day inensions of said fore-hearth being such as of OctoberA. D. 1910.

to cause the level of said iron to rise in said JOHN B. Ni/XU. fore-hearth and in said Crucible when os-v l/Vncsscs:

cillated in one direction and to fall when l M. Domi,

oscillated in the opposite direction. HERTHA VVOELFLER.

Mmm 

